The Mage's Daughter
by cjgirl8590
Summary: A commonplace errand turns into a nightmare as Lia is accused and imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit. Somehow, she finds herself in the middle of a plot to save the Empire. What do the Nine have in store for the mage's daughter from Anvil?
1. Prologue

p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"strongI do not own anything in the Elder Scroll universe, except for my OCs./strong/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"The Mage's Daughter/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" /p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"strongPrologue/strong/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"Galen A'leck stepped off the ship and ran a hand through his dark brown hair. emBy the Nine, I hate sailing,/emspan style="font-style: normal;" he thought. He shook his large frame and straightened his tunic. After nearly three days of stomach-churning storms and waves, he was glad to have his feet on something stationary again. The middle-aged Imperial gave himself a moment to get his bearings, then picked up his satchel and started toward the city of Anvil./span/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"As he made his way off the docks and through the crowded streets of the waterfront, he noted many shops and stalls that hadn't been there the last time he was in Cyrodiil. He stepped into a doorway to make room for a passing cart. He was about to move on when someone ran headlong into him./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen caught himself on a stack of crates and looked down. A young Imperial girl with bright red hair was lying in the dirt at his feet. Tears made muddy tracks in the dirt on her cheeks. Her already threadbare shirt was halfway torn down the middle and she was barefoot. She couldn't have been more than ten years old./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""Are you alright, little one?" he asked, bending down to help her. He reached out to take the girl's arm, but she flinched, jerking away./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen paused. The girl was looking at him with terror in her eyes. Both thin hands were clenching her shirt closed./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Street children were nothing new to him. Galen had grown up seeing the thin, filthy children begging in the streets for scraps of food or gold. This girl was undoubtedly a street child. But Galen was convinced she had been exposed to something far worse./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""It's alright," he said, keeping his voice low and gentle. "I'm not going to hurt you." He slowly extended his hand, palm up. The girl looked warily at his hand, but when he made no move to touch her, she risked reaching out to take his hand./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen helped her to her feet, subtly using a calming spell to relax her. "Are you alright?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"The girl shook her head, fresh tears spilling down her face. She looked behind her and terror flooded her face again. Galen followed her gaze./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"A young Breton man was shoving his way through the crowd. His cruel brown eyes met Galen's angry grey ones. Then he saw the girl next to Galen./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""There you are, wench! You're coming with me!" He started reaching for the girl./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen stepped between them. "Leave the child be."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"The Breton sneered at him. "This doesn't concern you, old man." He made another grab at the girl./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen shoved the man back as a crowd started to gather. "When innocent children are involved, I make it my concern."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"The man tried to grab the girl again, but Galen grabbed him by the shirt. The Breton struggled, but Galen was strong. "She was trying to run away," the Breton protested./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen's anger got the better of him and he slammed the man against the nearby pile of crates. The girl whimpered. "If men like you didn't prey on innocents, she wouldn't have anything to run from!" He used a telekinesis spell to shove the man halfway across the street, through the crates. "I've reduced creatures stronger than you to ash with a single spell. Come after the girl again, and I will do the same to you."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"The Breton got to his feet and straightened his clothes. He pointed at Galen. "This isn't over, old man."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen put an arm protectively around the little girl. "If you value your life, it is."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"span style="font-style: normal;" The man was about to say something else, then noticed the size of the crowd that had gathered. He straightened his shirt again and gave Galen a look of pure fury before storming away. As the crowd started to disperse, Galen knelt down so he was eye level with the girl./span/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""Are you alright?" he asked./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"The girl shook her head and sniffed as fresh tears trickled down her face again. She released her shirt with one hand and threw her arm around his neck. Galen held her as she started sobbing against his shoulder. A few of the remaining watchers gave him sympathetic glances as the girl cried./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"After a few moments, he pushed her back to arm's length. "What's your name, little one?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"The girl wiped her eyes. "Lia."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""And how old are you, Lia?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""Nine."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"He nodded as he opened his satchel. "My name is Galen A'leck. I'm going to take you some place safe." He took a shirt out of his bag and offered it to her. "Here. You can wear this."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Lia hesitated for a moment, then quickly accepted the shirt and put it on. It was far too big for her. The bottom of the shirt fell past her knees and the long sleeves brushed the ground. Galen chuckled as he helped her roll up the sleeves and use a belt to gather up the excess material at her waist./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"When he was finished, he stood up and picked up his satchel. He held out a hand to the young girl. "Shall we?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Lia took his hand and he led her through the crowded streets. Every time someone brushed against her, she clutched his hand tighter. By the time they walked through the city gates, she was holding his hand so tightly it hurt./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"He used another calming spell and guided her to the side of the street. He knelt down to talk to her. "It's alright, Lia," he said. "You're safe now. I'm going to take you to the castle. The Countess will surely have a place in her household for you."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Lia looked up at him with terror in her eyes again. "Oh, please, sir! Can't I stay with you?" She clutched his arm with both hands./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen's heart melted as she plead with him. He put his free hand on her shoulder. "Of course. I simply thought you would be more comfortable in the Countess' household."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Lia tightened her grip a little. "No, please. I want to stay with you."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""Very well," Galen said. He gently pulled his arm free and took her by the shoulders. "I know things haven't been easy for you, but I want you to know that you can trust me. I'll take care of you, and I promise I will be kind to you. If you need or want anything, please, tell me."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Lia nodded. "Yes, sir."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"He straightened up and took her hand again. "Now, let's see about finding ourselves a new home."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"They walked toward Castle Anvil in silence for a few minutes, then Lia reached up and tugged on Galen's sleeve. "What should I call you?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen thought about that for a moment. "Whatever you're comfortable with, I guess. 'Galen' will be fine."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""Yes, sir," Lia said. With that, she lapsed back into silence./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen led the way across the bridge and into Castle Anvil. He settled Lia on a bench in the Great Hall and handed her his satchel. She was reluctant to leave his side, but after he asked a guard to look after her and promised to come back as soon as possible, she agreed to wait. He glanced over his shoulder as he walked away and saw that she was clutching his bag tightly and looking around./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"He stepped into the throne room and was ushered to a seat on a bench to wait for his turn with the Countess. Twenty minutes later, she finished with a farmer from outside of town and gestured to Galen./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen respectfully approached the throne. Countess Millona Umbranox was a surprisingly young woman who had lost her husband the year before. Galen knew the pain she was going through and addressed her with the utmost courtesy./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"span style="font-style: normal;" "My lady," he began, "my name is Galen A'leck. I've just arrived from Sommerset Isle and wish to make my home here in Anvil. I was wondering if perhaps you had a home available to buy here in the city."/span/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"The Countess thought for a moment. "I'm afraid there isn't much available right now. Of course, there's always Benirus Manor..."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""My lady?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"The Countess scoffed. "Benirus Manor is large house on the main road, across from the Chapel. You probably passed it on your way here. It's a large family home, and Benirus is eager to sell it, but it's in terrible shape. I don't know what he's asking for it, but the new owner would spend at least the same amount again trying to repair it. And there have been...rumors...about the house."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""Rumors, my lady?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""The manor is said to be haunted. There have been stories going around about hearing strange noises, seeing ghostly lights, that sort of thing."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen shook his head. "I don't think that will work. I have a young girl with me and I rather doubt a haunted house would do for us."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Countess Umbranox smiled slightly and tapped her chin for a few minutes as she thought, mentally cataloging the houses in the city. The silence continued until Galen began to fear that there was no other option. But he continued to wait patiently./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Finally, the Countess broke the silence. "Now that I think about it, I believe there may be one other home available. Darahil!" The Countess' steward stepped forward. "Is that house near the dock gate still available? The one next to the wall?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Darahil walked over to a desk in a nearby alcove and rummaged through the papers lying there. After a moment, she returned with a paper in hand, which she handed to the Countess. Lady Umbranox looked it over, then handed it to Galen. "I think this is the only other house available right now."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen studied the description of the house in question. It was a little small for what he had in mind, but otherwise seemed to have everything he and Lia would need. He handed the paper back. "This looks perfect for us. And what price would you ask for it, my lady?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"The Countess accepted the paper and looked it over again. "The house hasn't been occupied in a while, so I imagine it is in need of some small repairs and thorough cleaning. That said, I would ask...6,000 septims."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen nodded. "A fair price."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Countess Umbranox smiled briefly. "Good. My steward will take your money and draw up the necessary papers. And welcome to my city, Master A'leck."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen thanked the Countess, but didn't step away just yet. "There is another matter I'd like to discuss with you, my lady, if I may."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""Yes? What is it?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""There's a man in the waterfront area. I only met him briefly, but I have evidence that he preys on young girls." He gave her a brief description of the Breton./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Lady Umbranox frowned. "Yes. We've been after him for some time now. He keeps slipping away. Don't worry. He won't get away this time." She called over the Captain of the City Watch. "Tell us about your meeting."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen described his introduction to Lia and the following altercation with the Breton. The Watch Captain listened closely and promised to track the man down. Galen thanked them both and followed Darahil to her desk. He counted out the agreed-on sum as she made a copy of the deed and wrote a bill of sale. He signed all the papers, handed Darahil the money, and accepted the rolled-up papers and key. He thanked her and left the throne room, eager to take Lia to see her new home./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;" /p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"span style="font-style: normal;" Their new home stood at the end of a row of houses, next to the city wall, just as the Countess had described. Galen surveyed it with a critical eye. A few of the windows had missing shutters, and the door hung slightly askew on its hinges. The grass in front was overgrown and the garden was full of weeds, but otherwise, the outside seemed to be in good condition./span/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"He looked down at Lia. "Shall we take a look inside?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Lia glanced up at him. She seemed a little surprised that he offered her a choice. "Whatever you wish, sir."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen smiled. "You can call me 'Galen,' you know."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;""I know," Lia said, just above a whisper./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, then approached the house. The door stuck a bit because of the broken hinges, but after some pushing, it opened with a noisy screech. Lia gasped as something scurried through the grass nearby./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen squeezed her shoulder, then lead the way inside. They found themselves in a large living area. A doorway off to the right led down a couple of steps into a kitchen and dining area. A flight of stairs at the back of the room led to the second floor. From where he was standing, Galen could see a second, smaller living area and doors to the two bedrooms./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Just as the Countess said, the place needed a good cleaning. A thick layer of dust covered the few pieces of broken furniture. Galen and Lia walked around the entire house, taking note of what they would need. Galen wrote everything down on a piece of parchment, then took Lia shopping./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"It was several hours before they returned, each carrying an armload of packages. Besides the things for the house, Galen had also bought new clothes and things for Lia. A wagon driven by two of the shopkeeper's assistants followed them down the street, carrying the furniture and bulk goods they'd purchased./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"They spent the rest of the day cleaning and arranging their new home. By nightfall, they were completely settled in. Galen made dinner, and after washing the dishes, they sat in the upstairs living area, relaxing./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"span style="font-style: normal;" Galen looked up from the book he was reading. Lia was sitting nearby, playing with a new doll he'd bought for her. As he watched her, he noticed that she kept glancing at a copy of /spanemFundamentals of Alchemy/emspan style="font-style: normal;" that he'd left lying on the mantle. "Are you interested in reading that?"/span/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Lia jumped as though she'd been caught doing something wrong. Her face turned as red as her hair and she looked down at her doll. "Um..."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen smiled to put her at ease. "It's alright, Lia." He got up from his chair by the fireplace and picked up the book. "As a matter of fact, it's a good thing you're interested. See, I plan on opening an alchemy shop downstairs, and I'm going to need an assistant." He offered the book to her./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Lia took it carefully and held it like it was made of gold. "Thank you, sir," she whispered gratefully./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen gave up trying to get her to call him by his given name. "You're more than welcome. Now, it's been a long and eventful day for both of us. Why don't we get some rest?"/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Lia stood up and held both the book and her doll to her chest. "Yes, sir." She started to turn away, then hesitated. When Galen put a hand on her shoulder to see what was wrong, she turned back and flung her arms around his waist. He was surprised and pleased to hear her whisper, "Thank you for my new life, sir."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Galen hugged her tightly. "It's a new life for both of us, little one."/p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;" /p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"Their new life together proved to be a good one. Galen and Lia got along well right from the start, and Galen adopted the girl on her tenth birthday. He taught her the secrets of alchemy and magic, and Lia learned at a rate that made her new father proud. As she grew, Galen had the pleasure of watching her change from a shy, jumpy child into a beautiful and confident young woman./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal;"They started their alchemy shop, and although things were slow at first, A'leck's Alchemy Supplies grew steadily until Galen and Lia had as much business as they could manage. They spent their days working together in the shop and their evenings enjoying the bond that grew between them./p  
p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"span style="font-style: normal;" Ten years passed. They were good years, full of happiness and love. Until the year that brought a danger great enough that the Empire itself was threatened./span/p 


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was a beautiful late summer day. The sun shone brightly and the sky was clear. The air was warm with the barest hint of autumn in the breeze. Lia A'leck walked briskly down the main street of Anvil, making deliveries for her father's shop. She'd already stopped by Lelles's Quality Merchandise, The Foc'sle, and The Count's Arms, dropping off their weekly supply of alchemical supplies and restoring potions. She had one more stop to make before she was finished.

The passing years had changed Lia drastically. Gone was the skinny, frail child. In her place was a healthy, graceful young woman. Her hair had darkened from the bright red of her youth to a more copper color. Her blue eyes were as bright as ever and her smile appeared far more readily. Her slender figure was covered with a neat blue and green dress she had sewn herself. The fresh sea breeze gently blew her hair around her shoulders as she hurried to her destination.

The door to the Mage's Guild Hall opened before she got to it, a special enchantment Carahil, the local chapter head, had designed. Carahil herself glanced up from her desk as the young Imperial walked in.

"Good afternoon, Carahil," Lia said with a nod. "Is Fellen available?"

"Good afternoon, Associate," the Altmer said haughtily. She waved a hand in the general direction of a doorway to Lia's left. "I believe he's in the storeroom taking inventory."

"Thank you," Lia said. She went to find Fellen. The Dunmer alchemist was far more friendly than Carahil and was one of her favorite people in the Guild Hall.

As she knocked on the storeroom door, a shout and footsteps caused her to jump. She looked up in time to see a small imp flutter overhead, carrying a cloth bundle. As it disappeared around the corner, a young Nord ran into view. The boy saw Lia, but couldn't stop in time and ran into her. They both fell to the floor.

Lia rubbed the back of her head where it had hit the wall and punched the boy in the arm. "Einar! Watch where you're going!"

Einar was a good friend of Lia's and a fellow Mage's Guild Associate. He was also a very talented, very powerful Mage. He was the same age as her, nineteen, but had nearly mastered all six schools of magic already. However, his talent for the arcane often led him into overconfidence.

Then his overconfidence led to disaster. A few years previously, he had attempted an Illusion spell that was far too complex for him. The spell had backfired, leaving him with permanently white hair and glowing eyes that changed color based on his emotions.

Right now, his eyes were glowing bright red, betraying the anger he felt. The intense color faded a bit when he saw Lia. "Sorry, Lia. Sparky stole my lunch again."

"So I noticed," Lia said. Sparky was a pet imp owned by one of the other Mage's in the chapter. The mischievous little thing loved making trouble, such as stealing things, dropping items on people's heads, and making messes. His owner was warned on an almost daily basis that his imp was going to end up stuffed one day.

Einar blew out a sigh to relieve his frustration, and some of the red when out of his eyes. He stood up and helped Lia up. As he retrieved her basket for her, his eyes took on a purple hue. "Well, since I have nothing to eat now, how about you and I go to The Count's Arms and have a late lunch there?"

"I have to finish making deliveries for Father."

"Dinner, then. After the shop closes."

Lia shook her head. "Sorry, I can't do that, either. I'm leaving early in the morning to go to the Imperial City. Father received word of a shipment of pitcher plant that's supposed to arrive the day after tomorrow. He wants me to get some before the University buys it all up. You know how hard that stuff is to get."

Orange leaked into Einar's eyes. "How long will you be gone?"

"Three days, hopefully. It depends on if the ship comes in on time."

"Can I come?"

Lia was spared having to answer by Fellen finally opening the door. "Sorry I took so long, Lia. That winged nuisance of an imp decided to relocate my supplies all over the storeroom. I had a devil of a time trying to find and replace them all, and my potion bottles are still out of order."

Lia smiled at the older elf. "It's no problem, Fellen. Here's your delivery." She reached into her basket and handed him a large bundle of ingredients. "I'm going to the Imperial City tomorrow to pick up a supply of pitcher plant. Do you want any?"

Fellen looked up from double-checking the bundle. "Sorry, what?"

"Pitcher plant," Lia repeated patiently. Although he was a decent alchemist, Fellen's attention tended to falter when it came to other matters.

"Pitcher plant? Of course! Given how rare it is, one can never have too much. And I also need two extra portions of clanfear claws and mandrake root next time. My alchemy class is making cure disease potions next week. Here's some money for the pitcher plant."

Lia smiled and took the coins he handed her. "All right. I'll tell Father and bring the pitcher plant with next week's delivery." She tucked the money in her basket and turned to leave. "Be seeing you, Fellen."

As the storeroom door closed behind her, Einar stepped in front of her again. "So, can I come?"

Lia put a hand on his arm. "Einar, think about this. You're uncomfortable enough walking around Anvil where everyone is used to how you look. Think about how much worse it would be in the Imperial City."

"I'll wear a hood."

Lia shook her head. "I think it would be better if you just stayed here."

"But it's a long trip. You'll need someone to protect you," Einar protested.

Lia rolled her eyes. "I may not be the mage you are, but I'm not helpless, you know."

"I know, it's just-" Einar sighed as his eyes turned blue. "I never get to see you anymore."

"What do you mean? We see each other in class practically every day."

"I mean we used to spend time together all the time as kids. Now we don't."

Lia sighed. This conversation was going nowhere. "We grew up, Einar. It happens. Now I've got to get going."

Einar put a hand on her shoulder. "At least say you'll have dinner with me when you get back." Seeing she was about to protest, he quickly added, "You can tell me all about your trip. I want to hear what the city is like."

"Alright, fine," Lia finally agreed. "I'll see you later." She escaped into the street outside, where she took a deep breath to calm herself.

She'd been aware of Einar's infatuation with her for some time now. At first, it was sweet and flattering, but lately, it had gone past flattering and into annoying. She liked him just fine, and they were good friends, but that's where she wanted to leave it. As much as she liked him, she didn't love him. She didn't feel that spark that her father, Galen, said he'd felt with his wife before she died eleven years ago.

For over a month now, she'd been trying to gently tell Einar that she wasn't interested. But he was persistent. Maybe a few days away from him would help.

Lia continued to ponder her conflict with her friend until she reached the home and shop she shared with her father. The bell over the door jingled merrily as she walked in, causing Galen to turn around from his place behind the counter.

The years had been kind to him. Although his dark hair was now liberally sprinkled with grey and his face was more lined, he was still the same large, powerful mage Lia had met on the docks. If anything, he was more powerful today than he was all those years ago.

"Deliveries done already?" he asked as he continued grinding something with a mortar and pestle.

Loa nodded and set her basket down beneath the counter. "I wanted to get back as soon as possible so I could get more done around here before I leave tomorrow." She reached to adjust the flame under Galen's alchemy set. "What are you working on?"

Galen set the pestle aside and checked the consistency of the powder in the bowl. "Poison cures. I never realized we would go through them as fast as we do."

Lia grinned. "Well, like you've always said, poisons are just as easy to brew and often easier." She finished adjusting the flame. "Do you need any help?"

"We need another pound of powdered redwort, as well as two bottles of boiled ginseng. And we need to make labels for the new batch of potions. Which do you want?"

Lia made a face. "I'll take the grinding and boiling. Making labels is tedious. Oh, and Fellen asked for two extra portions each of clanfear claws and mandrake root for the next delivery. He gave me some money to pick up some pitcher plant for him, as well."

Galen nodded and handed the mortar to his daughter. After noting the additional request in his record book, he sat down at the kitchen table to write out the labels needed. Lia spent the rest of the afternoon grinding redwort petals, simmering ginseng, and helping the customers that came in every few minutes.

When the chapel bells tolled six, Galen locked the front door and turned the wooden sign in the window to show the "closed" side. While he cleaned his alchemy set and wiped down the counters, Lia made dinner. A couple of women in the neighborhood had helped teach her the more feminine arts, such as cooking and sewing. As a result, Lia was considered one of the best cooks in town.

After they ate and cleaned up, they retired to the upstairs living area. They spent the next few hours reading or talking and Galen helped Lia with a new spell she was learning. When they heard the ten o'clock bells, Galen stood up.

"I'm going to bed, Lia, and I suggest you do the same. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow," he said.

Lia closed the textbook she was studying and gathered up her notes. "Yes, Father."

"And do not stay up reading or practicing spells."

Lia rolled her eyes. "I know, Father."

Galen grinned. "Good. Sleep well, dear." He kissed her cheek, then went to his room.

Lia slid her notes and textbook into the bag she used for her guild classes. She banked the fire in the hearth, then summoned a small flame in her palm and checked all the locks on the first floor. Once she was sure the house was secure, she went to her own bedroom.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

She rose at six the next morning. Sounds from the kitchen below told her that her father was already awake and likely making a special breakfast for her. She used the time before breakfast to bathe, dress, and finish packing for her journey. By the time she came downstairs with her bag, Galen had breakfast ready. Freshly cooked eggs, thin slices of ham, sliced fruit, warm bread, and cold milk waited for her.

As she sat at the table, she said, "You act like I'm going to starve between here and the Imperial City."

Galen sat down across from her. "Too much?"

"After eating all of this, all I'm going to want to do is go back to bed."

They shared a laugh as they began eating. By the time they were finished, they sky outside had begun to lighten, turning into a misty morning. Galen escorted Lia outside the city to the Anvil Stables. The stable hands were already up and taking care of the horses, and one of them brought hers in from the field.

Starsnow was a gift from her father. Galen had taught her to ride when she was a child and had given her the gentle white mare when she could ride on her own. She hadn't been able to decide whether to name the horse Star or Snow, so she'd used both.

Galen held the horse's bridle while Lia made sure the saddle was cinched properly. She hung her bag on the saddle horn and turned to her father. "I guess I'm ready," she said.

He handed her the reins. "You be careful out there, dear. Don't push the horse too fast. And try to avoid traveling at night, if you can help it."

Lia nodded, then gave him a hug. "I'll see you in a couple of days."

Galen held her tightly for a moment, then whispered, "I love you, Lia."

"I love you, too, Father."

Lia mounted Starsnow, then rode off into the mist. She was excited. She had never traveled as far as the Imperial City by herself before. The furthest she'd ever been was Skingrad.

The journey was fairly uneventful. Aside from the occasional wolf or wild boar she came across, there was no trouble. She didn't see many other travelers at first, except for Imperial Legionnaires patrolling the roads. As the sun climbed higher, she began seeing more people.

She stopped at an inn along the roadside for lunch and to let Starsnow rest. Several other travelers were there, and she exchanged news and bits of gossip with them. There was a rumor going around about trouble in the Imperial City, and Lia hoped it wouldn't delay her.

Once Starsnow was ready, they got back on the road. Lia found herself riding next to a young Dunmer farm girl on her way to Skingrad. The two girls struck up a conversation that greatly helped in passing the hours. Before they knew it, it was a little after six and they were riding into the city of Skingrad. Lia said goodbye to her new friend and stabled her horse, then walked through the streets until she found Skingrad's Mage's Guild Hall, where she could stay for the night.

The next day, she completed her journey to the Imperial City, arriving around two in the afternoon. She stabled Starsnow, then took her time walking to the Waterfront District. As a small town girl, she loved the city. The sights, sounds, and even the smells she experienced were far different than her home town.

There, seagulls flew overhead on the salty breeze and ship bells could be heard from everywhere in the city. Here, the experience varied from district to district. In the Market District, the shouts of merchants hawking their wares mingled with conversations between neighbors, while the nearby Arena District rang with the shouts of the audience. The Arboreatum was a beautiful garden in the middle of the city, while the Waterfront District was a veritable forest of ship masts. The Imperial City was alive in a way Anvil could never be.

The ship hadn't arrived by the time Lia reached the Waterfront. A quick conversation with a passing guard told her that it was expected to come in any day now. Lia found an inn to stay at, then borrowed a quill and some parchment from the owner and wrote a letter to her father, informing him that she would be delayed. She gave the letter to a messenger to deliver to Anvil, then decided to explore the Market District.

She spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the streets of the Market, examining the goods and making some small purchases. She briefly thought about watching an Arena fight, but decided against it. Bloodshed had never agreed with her.

Toward evening, she walked into a jewelry store to look around. A young Bosmer girl about her age with the same color of red hair came in a minute later. Her grey eyes met Lia's blue ones for a moment, then she looked away, leaving Lia puzzled. The girl looked almost...apologetic.

Lia quickly dismissed the girl and returned to her browsing. She eyed a lovely gold and sapphire necklace set, but it was far too expensive for her. With a sigh, she placed it back on the shelf. A few minutes later, she left the store.

She had just turned the corner to go back to the inn for dinner when someone brushed past her. She looked up as the red-haired girl from the jewelry store hurried away. She glanced over her shoulder at Lia.

As the girl disappeared around a corner, Lia heard shouting behind her. She turned around to see the shopkeeper from the jewelry store come running into view. He was flanked by two City Watch guards.

The shopkeeper, a big Nord man, pointed and shouted, "That's her!"

Lia glanced over her shoulder as the guards ran in her direction. There was no one behind her. She realized he was talking about her at the same time the guards reached her. They each grabbed her arms as a third one joined them.

The third man, probably a captain judging from his short blue cape, stood in front of her as she struggled. "Where is it?" he demanded.

Lia was totally confused. "Where's what?"

The captain crossed his arms. "Don't play stupid. Where's the necklace you stole?"

"I didn't steal a necklace! I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Give it up. The shopkeeper identified you. Now save yourself some trouble and hand it over."

Lia was so stunned, she stopped struggling. "I swear, I didn't steal anything! Someone's lying!"

The captain rolled his eyes. "Well, we'll just see about that." He waved to the pair holding her and they dragged her over to the shopkeeper. "Is this her?" He asked.

The Nord looked her over and nodded. "That's her, all right. That red hair stood out."

With a shock, Lia realized what had happened. The red-haired Bosmer who'd passed her a few moments earlier had more than likely stolen the necklace, then purposely walked past Lia so the guards would see _her_ and blame _her_ for the theft. She began protesting violently. "You don't understand! There was another girl-"

"And she just so happened to look like you?" the captain said skeptically. "I don't think so. Let's go."

As the guards began to drag her away, Lia looked helplessly at the crowd that had gathered. Most were merely curious about what was going on. A few were sympathetic. Once was apologetic. She caught a glimpse of the Bosmer's grey eyes and red hair before the soldiers pulled her away.

They took her to the Imperial City Prison, located across a bridge outside the Market District. There, her clothes and possessions were taken away and she was thoroughly searched by a female guard. The fact that they didn't find the necklace on her lended credibility to her claims of innocence, but the shopkeeper's identification carried too much weight. She was given a set of sackcloth clothes and sandals, then tossed into a tiny cell. The guard told her that she would be tried in the morning, then left.

Lia looked around numbly as she tried to process everything that had happened. Two hours ago, she'd been enjoying her time in the city. Now, she was trapped in a festering hole waiting to be tried as a thief. She sat against the wall and curled up, wishing she had never started this journey.


End file.
